Geosciences

Today is the ideal time for students to choose a career as a geoscientist. Students with a solid high school background in the sciences and mathematics, liking the outdoors and field studies, and those that are challenged by a rigorous program of classroom, laboratory and field courses, should consider North Dakota State University's program in geosciences. Geoscientists are presently in demand for energy and mineral exploration, and for solving environmental problems.

Career Opportunities

Geologists who studied at NDSU are currently employed in such diverse fields as environmental geology, groundwater resources, education, community planning, cartography, solid-state geochemistry, engineering geology, petroleum and gas exploration, precious-metals mining, and land reclamation.

The Department

The geosciences faculty and instructional staff are dedicated to providing the best possible undergraduate education. Faculty members have earned consistently high ratings for their teaching. They also are active in research and bring the benefits of their research activities to students. Many geoscience undergraduates find part-time employment in faculty research or as laboratory teaching assistants. Courses are taught by a variety of techniques including lectures, labs, active learning, report writing and applied field studies. Field studies have included Black Hills, Death Valley, Washington, Hawaii, Iceland and southern Italy. The department's excellent instructional facilities include computers, X-ray diffraction, petrographic microscopes, GPS and surveying equipment, and a continuously-upgraded collection of rocks, minerals, air photos and maps. Training in geographic information systems is provided through the Warren D. Kress Advanced Geography Laboratory. The Optical Dating and Dosimetry Laboratory is used to determine the depositional age of sediments, and the Quaternary Entomology Laboratory is used for studies of climate change.

A core of geology courses, along with training in mathematics, physics, chemistry, soils, geography, computer science and technical writing will prepare students to handle the diverse challenges encountered in this professional career.

Special Note

Students in the geosciences program are encouraged to use their elective credits in courses that will enhance their professional skills (i.e., foreign languages, geography, archaeology, soils, etc.). In addition, the Department of Geosciences offers elective courses in environmental geology, glacial geology, geochemistry, hydrogeology, geophysics and remote sensing.

Sample Curriculum

Credits

General Education Requirements

__________________________________________________

First Year Experience

1

UNIV 189 - Skills for Academic Success

Communication

3

COMM 110 - Fundamentals of Public Speaking

3, 3

ENGL 110, 120 - College Composition I, II

3

ENGL 324 - Writing in the Sciences

Quantitative Reasoning

4

MATH 165 - Calculus I

10

Science & Technology

6

Humanities & Fine Arts

6

Social & Behavioral Sciences

2

Wellness

-

Cultural Diversity

Global Perspective

3

GEOL 105 - Physical Geology

41

Total

Credits

College and Department Requirements

__________________________________________________

6

Hum/Soc. Science Electives (B.S. Degree)

12

Hum/Soc. Science Electives (B.A. Degree)

-

Second Year Language Proficiency (B.A. Degree)

6-12

Total

Credits

Major Requirements

_____________________________________________________

4

GEOG 455 - Introduction to Geographic

Information Systems

4

GEOL 105, 105L - Physical Geology and Lab

4

GEOL 106, 106L - The Earth Through Time and Lab

2

GEOL 301 - Lake Superior Field Course or

GEOL 302 - Black Hills Field Course or

GEOL 496 - Field Experience

4

GEOL 350 - Invertebrate Paleontology and

GEOL 303 - Paleontology Field Course

4

GEOL 410 - Sedimentology/Stratigraphy

3

GEOL 412 - Geomorphology

4

GEOL 420, 421 - Mineralogy and Lab

3

GEOL 422 - Petrology

1

GEOL 423 - Petrography

3

GEOL 450 - Field Geology

4

GEOL 457 - Structural Geology

1

GEOL 491 - Junior Seminar

1

GEOL 491 - Senior Seminar

3

SOIL 444 - Soil Genesis and Survey

45

Total

Credits

Related Requirements

_______________________________________________________

8

CHEM 121, 121L - General Chemistry I and Lab and

CHEM 151, 161 - Principles of Chemistry II and Lab or

CHEM 150, 160 – Principles of Chemistry I and Lab

and CHEM 151, 161 - Principles of Chemistry II

and Lab

3-4

CSCI 122 - Visual BASIC or

CSCI 160 - Computer Science I or

CSCI 227 - Computing Fundamentals I

4

MATH 165 - Calculus I

4

MATH 166 - Calculus II

8-10

PHYS 211, 211L - College Physics I and Lab and

PHYS 212, 212L - College Physics II and Lab or

PHYS 251, 251L - University Physics I and Lab and

PHYS 252, 252L - University Physics II and Lab

13

Electives

40-43

Total

122-131

CURRICULUM TOTAL

This sample curriculum is not intended to serve as a curriculum guide for current students, but rather an example of course offerings for prospective students. For the curriculum requirements in effect at the time of entrance into a program, consult with an academic advisor or with the Office of Registration and Records.